Automatic air-brake coupling for railway-cars.



PATBNTBD FEB. 12, 1907.

APYLICATIOH PILBD SBPTPI'I. 1906.

FRANK H. RUTHERFORD, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE COUPLING- FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 190?.

Application filed September 17,1906. Serial No- 334.904.

linlit of its movement or assist in so doing can be so disposed or located as to avoid interfering with the broke mechanism of the car or the trucks thereof or other equipments of the same. This I accomplish by the mezins hereinafter full described, and as particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention applied to the end of a car. Fig. 2 is it tron'sverse vertical section taken on dotted line 2 2, Fig, 1. Fig. 3 is a side Yl\\' similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of a modified construction of my invention.

My invention consists of train-pipe coupler, which inevhe of :inydesnedconstruction.

so long as it as a longitudinal body more inent and is capable of movement to e. limited extent at right angles to the line of draft of the car. I prefer, however, to use my in- Vention in connection with the outonie tic train-pipe coupler described illltl illustrated in.

an application for Letters Patent of the Ifnited States, filed by me September 17, 1

1906, Serial N. 334,903.

The coupler referred to consists of u head A. waist B, and body (.1. which is supported by a hunger I), having all opening in its lower portim llll')l1il'll which the body of the coupler extends and llktVlllQ e. bracket a. secured to and pr-i jectine lltlfiZJllLlllj forward lrt-ni it to which loilLQl links I) depend, which are connected to and support the pvi-rti m of the coupler in front of the hanger I) in u horizwntul pcsitiun. The rear end 0 of the body cf the coupler h...s n circumfercnti l ilunge d, whiwh provides an nnnultir shoulder llnl n..r;rullx presse ilrw. rd .inst the rear of the lh'l jjt'l. nd the extremity of s; id body is conwxr-d ml lh. 2i centnd seniiwirculhr l). no G. I

The preferred form of my invention c011 f rearward the spring-pressure on arm E insures suffisists of e pendent erm E, which has its upper end suiiobl pivoted to lugs or knuckles f, projecting down from the under side of the hc-rimntcl part ofhnne'er I). bolted or otherwise secured to the druw-lmr or other suitable portion of the umlerfrunie of the Cit-1. This crni extends downnxzrd about as far {LS the hanger and hrs on, opening. in its lower portion, back through which pcsses the guidelmr 9. extending" reorws-rdiy from the center Of body C of the coupler. Between its lower opening and its pivot arm E is provided with :1 larger opening h for the passive oi the upper portion of flat snnewhtit C-shuped spring G. The upper tlAVHUllllEtl end of spring G is suitably secured to the F911 of the hanger D, and from thence it extends beck through opening it and then down to ll point below hztng'er l) and thence curves upward and has an opening j in its upturned lower end, which letter presses forward against the lower end of arm E, through which guide-her q also extends. The rear ext 1Gl11l[ of guidear g has a. buffing-boss I, suitubly secured thereon by a nut in, substintiallv as shown; but both of these last-mentioned parts may be omitted, if desired.

The lower end of arm I) is engaged by spring G. The upper part of the arm. prefernbly just below its pivot, is engaged by a horizontally-disposed coil. expansion-spring I. the rear end of which is held a tent m, projecting forward from a. lug J, projecting down from the rear end of the horizontal portion of hunger D, and the forward end of which is retained in engagement with said pivoted arm by a similar teat n; projecting ly therefrom. This dispositioncf cient forward pressure against the rear end of the coupler to keep the same normally at the forward limit of its movement and in a horizontal position. If desired, however, spring G may be dispensed with and spring I alone be depended upon.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings I show a iedificd form of my invention. In this run ficetion an arm 2, performing the some ininction as arm E. hereinhefore described, is rigidly attached to and depends down from the for-. ward end of a horizontal reciprocal lur 53. which trn'vcls in u suituhlc gillilP-tjtctiltl}: ill lugs i at, proiectin; down from tle horizontal portion .5 of the hunger 6. This arm 2 and its supporting-bar 3 are normally kept at the before alluded limit of their forward movement by a sulficiently p )werful expansion coil-spring 7, which surrounds bar 3 between its bearings and has its forward endpressing againsta collar 8, fast on said bar 3, and its rear end bearing against the rear guide-lug 4. A C- shaped sprin 9 (similar to spring G, hereinto) may be used in connection with this modification or not, as desired.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination with a car, and a longitudlnally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a spring located and exerting a forward pressure in a plane parallel to the axis of the coupler, and means for applying said pressuretothe rear portion of said coupler.

2. The hombination with a car, and a longitudinally-yielding train-pipe coupler, of a longitudinally disposed spring located and exerting a forward pressure in a plane parallel to the axis of the coupler, and means for ape plying said pressure to the rear portion of said coupler i 3. The combination with a car, and a longitudinally yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a longitudinally-disposed coil-spring located and exerting a forward pressure in a plane parallel to the axis of the coupler, and means for applying said pressure to the rear portion ofsaid coupler.

4. Thecor'nbination with a car, and a 1011 gitudinallv-yielding integral trainqiipe coup ler, 01 a spring located and exerting a forward pressure 11] a plane parallel to the axis of said coupler, and an arm for transmitting and applying the pressure of said spring to the rear portion of the coupler,

5. The combination with a car, and a longitudinally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a spring located and exerting a forward pressure in a plane parallel to the axis of said coupler, and a pivoted arm for transmitting and applying the pressure ofsaid spring to the rear portion of the coupler.

6. The combination with a car, a longitudinallv-yielling trainpipe'coupler, and a hanger having an opening in its lower part through which sail coup'ler passes, anda horizontal portion secured in suitable manner to sail car having a lug projecting down therefrom, of an arm pivoted at its upper end to said lug an .1 having its lower end engaging the rear portion of the coupler, and a spring pressing said arm fprwarl.

7. The combination with a car, a longitudinallwyielling trainpipe coupler, and a hanger having an opening in its lower part through which said coupler passes, and a horizontal portion secured in suit-able manner to sail ear having lugs projecting down therefrom, of an arm pivoted at its upper end to said lug and having its lower end engaging the rear portion of the coupler, fillfl a longitudinally-disposed coil expansionspring interposed between the rearmost ofsaid lugs and. said arm and normally pressing said arm forward.

8. The combination with a car, and a lon gitu iinally-yieliing integral train-pipe coupler, of an arm engaging the rear portion of said coupler, a spring pressing for ard against one end of said arm, and an independent spring engaging the other end of the same.

9. The combination with a car, and a lon-' gitu.linally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a pivoted arm engaging the rear portion of said coupler, a spring pressing forward against one end. of said arm, and an independent spring engaging the other end of the same.

10. The combination with a car, anll a longituiinallyyiel;ing integral train-pipe coup ler, of an arm pivoted at one end and engaging the rear portion of said coupler at the other, a coil expansion-spring engaging said arm near its pivoted end anrl a curved spring of flat material engaging the other end of said arm.

11. The combination w ith a car, and a longitufinally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of' an arm pivoted at one end and engaging the rear portion of the coupler at the other, a coil expansion-spring engaging said arm near its pivoted end and a curved spring of material one end of which is secured at a point collateral to said coupler and the other end engages the movable end of said arm.

12. The combination with a car, a longitudinally-yielding train-pipe coupler, and a hanger therefor, of an arm pivoted at its up per end to the horizontal part of said hanger and its lower end engaging said coupler, and having an o ening therein mediate its ends, a horizontali clisposed coil expansion-spring pressing forward against said arm above said opening, and a C-sh'aped spring secured at one end to the vertical portion of said hanger, extending rearwardly through the opening in said arm and having its upturned. lower end engaging the lower end of said arm. I

13. The combination with a car and a longitudinally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a spring located and exerting a forward pressure on a plane parallelto the axis of the coupler, which normally keeps said coupler at the limit of its forward movement.

14. The combination with a car and a longitudinally-yielding integral train-pipe coupler, of a coil-spring located and exertin a forward pressure on a plane parallel to the axis of the con ler which normally keeps said coupler at t 1e limit of its forward movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September, A. D.

FRANK H. RUTHERFORD. Witnesses:

E. K. LUXDY, O. M. Wnamrcn. 

